Outside the Printery…

The cities fog was as terrible as ever as Arnold searched the city for hours after he had armed himself with a crossbow, and held two bolts coated with the wolfsbane.  He had spread some on his claws if it had come to that, because even if it wasn’t a werewolf it had to be called wolfsbane for a reason like catnip.  He hoped that was the case anyways as this was not something he had researched.

Arnold sniffed around the city, sometimes spying Dr. Cyberfaustus in a vessel watching from above, urchins sneaking about, or Canergak and his men hunting on their own.

But it was near the newly dug canal that Arnold caught the scent of blood to go with the sewage.  Arnold followed it, sniffing the horrid stench when he reached a crossways.  He stopped to check his route when something crashed behind him.

He jumped and raised his crossbow, and then lowered it as he saw Lo who had just been trying to climb over the wall next to him.  “Arnold?”

“What are you doing out here?!” He asked as he looked about cautiously, lowering the weapon.

“I’m looking for Gilly…”  She claimed, but Arnold was sure that was a lie.  He had a feeling she was really looking for either himself or Rasend.  He warned her that the wolf was nearby and she looked at him with a mixture of fear and excitement, then whispered, “Have you seen him yet?”

“No, but I think I smell him…I smell sewage and blood at least.”  Lo gasped as Arnold chased the scent which became stronger, leaving her behind until he reached Wheatstone and the Steamweaver printery.

Inside hunched over and licking its claws was Rasend, out of the straight jacket and muzzle somehow.  There was blood on his fur and claws.

Rasend noticed him at the same time that Arnold had seen the wolf.  The creature howled as it rushed him.  Arnold lifted the crossbow bolt and the mad wolf ran straight for him, heedless of the danger to itself.

The cat didn’t have time to aim and just fired, the creature howled as the crossbow bolt struck its chest and burned, but it snarled as it ripped out the bolt and then leapt for Arnold.  

He dropped the bow and fled, heart in his throat as the canine chased him, gaining room until he saw Lo scampering over the wall ahead.  If he ran now the wolf would target her…

Arnold turned back and faced Rasend, who howled and leapt at him.  The cat barely dodged to the side and grabbed for the other arrow.  He’d have to try to stab it into him.

The wolf stumbled however as it tried to get back to his feet and it fell to its knees, and then finally fell flat on its face.  Lo cried out in dismay and started to move closer to Rasend.

Arnold didn’t notice how close she had gotten because he had gone to retrieve the bow.  He shot Rasend with the second arrow as swiftly as the equipment had allowed, moments before Lo had stretched her hand out to the wolf.  Lo gasped in shock and turned towards her friend horrified.

He approached Rasend apprehensively, and didn’t look at Lo as he assured her that he would probably live.  “I just needed to make sure he wasn’t playing possum again…”  After the wolf had taken the arrow in his chest, what may have even been his heart as if it was nothing the cat wasn’t willing to take chances.

Lo looked down at Rasend, appalled, but she turned to her friend, “He doesn’t mean to be dangerous, I know it…”

The creature’s eyes were still open and it snapped its jaws at Lo and him.  Even with the arrow in his back and the wolfsbane in his system he was still moving, if weakly.

“Get Dr. Cyberfaustus!” Arnold cried as he kept a watch on Rasend apprehensively, “Or anyone with more wolfsbane!”

Lo ran off to fetch someone to help while Arnold waited with Rasend apprehensively.  Looking at the creatures bloody claws he could tell that the scent of his blood and the ones coming from his claws and body were not the same.  

If he really is a werewolf…then at least one other person in this city may be one too…if he is one.  And the problem was…it could be anyone now…